Dear Members of the Portfolio Committee on Police,

I am writing to formally express my concern and dissatisfaction regarding the ongoing difficulty in reaching the South African Police Service (SAPS) through the contact number listed on their official website. Despite multiple attempts using different telecom providers, the SAPS Head Office number remains unreachable.

This issue is compounded by my recent experience attempting to book a Police Clearance Certificate (PCC) appointment for my wife and myself. Although Woodstock SAPS is only 1.1 km from our residence, they declined to assist us with fingerprinting, citing that we do not live or work within their jurisdiction. We were referred to Cape Town Central SAPS, but I have been unable to reach them telephonically since 3 June. I have also attempted to contact Sea Point SAPS, but they appear to be experiencing infrastructure issues as well.

It is deeply concerning that such essential public services are so difficult to access, especially when the contact information provided to the public is either outdated or non-functional. I am urgently seeking assistance in obtaining my PCC reference number, as I currently have no viable means of contacting the relevant SAPS offices. I am reluctant to use the emergency line for a non-emergency matter, but I am left with no alternative.

I would greatly appreciate your intervention in this matter or guidance on how to proceed.

Kind regards,
Wanzenburg